Prince Charles to visit Bramham Park

The Prince of Wales will attend a consecration service and present a new Guidon to the Queen’s Own Yeomanry at Bramham Park on Saturday.

Around 140 members of the Regiment, serving and retired, will be on parade on the lawn in front of Bramham Park House, watched by 650 guests.

Prince Charles, as Royal Honorary Colonel The Queen’s Own Yeomanry, will take the salute, make a short speech and present the new Guidon to the Commanding Officer and the Regiment.

HRH will then join a regimental photograph before joining a reception made-up of around 200 soldiers and their family and friends.

The QOY were presented with their last Guidon by The Prince of Wales at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland on September 22, 2007.

Prince Charles has been the Royal Honorary Colonel of the Queen’s Own Yeomanry since May 2000.

Also attending the parade as a special guest due to his father’s connection with the Regiment will be the Duke of Westminster. He will be presenting the new Duke of Westminster Medal to two soldiers who have made an outstanding contribution to the Regiment.

The Queen’s Own Yeomanry is a light cavalry regiment in the Army Reserve. As a light armoured reconnaissance unit, its role involves operating in front of other friendly forces to gather intelligence on the enemy and the environment.

The first use of a Guidon by the British Cavalry is not known, but the name is believed to derive from the French Cavalry emblem in the 17th century.

Standards and Guidons evolved from banners of the Knights of the Middle Ages. The Guidon (an ensign or standard ending with a tail or point) was carried by a Knight.

In the British Army, Standards and Guidons became very elaborate and by the end of the 18th century it had become customary for them to bear the Battle Honours of the Regiments

By tradition, the Guidons of the Light Cavalry and Standards of Heavy Cavalry are carried on parade by senior Warrant Officers, and not commissioned ranks.

The standard and the Guidon are usually crimson trimmed in gold and with the Regiment’s insignia in the center.